Microsoft announces new Office 365

Microsoft announced the availability of new Office 365 for businesses in India. Microsoft also made available business SKUs of Office 2013 for on premise users.

It works across multiple devices, is social and integrates with cloud. The new Office 365 comes with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Project and Visio. Moreover, it includes updated Microsoft Lync Online, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online. The SharePoint integrates with Yammer and Lync to provide a social layer. Office 365 can be installed on up to five devices, of multiple platforms, for a single user under the Office 365 licensing.

"In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the next generation Office 365 unlocks social and mobility scenarios that will allow businesses and individuals to take full advantage of the cloud. It gives them the freedom to do things, when, where and how they want," said Bhaskar Pramanik, chairman, Microsoft Corporation India.

For small businesses with up to 25 users, Microsoft has introduced Plan P1 with Exchange, SharePoint, Lync and Office Web Apps at $6 per user per month and $60 per user per annum. In addition to P1, the P2 plan offers desktop version of Office 2013 at $15 per user per month and $150 per user per annum.

Microsoft also announced new customers for its Office 365 platform - Lupin, Godrej Group, Tata Communications and Aegon Religare.

Ramkumar Pichai, GM, Microsoft Office Division, Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. said, "This release of Office brings to life the power of next generation computing. It also reflects Microsoft's commitment of powering the newer work scenarios businesses are experiencing. While on the one hand it is helping users simplify their work and get things done, on the other it is helping IT managers stay in control of a diverse environment created by a proliferation of devices."